AREA COLLEGE NOTEBOOK: Bomar can set pace of his rehab

Sam Houston State quarterback Rhett Bomar doesn't have to worry about losing his starting job, which allows him to gradually get back into shape after a knee injury sidelined him for the final two games of last season.

"It's been going really well so far," Bomar said of his recovery. "They have cleared me to throw, and I can run some, but no laterals or cutting yet."

Bomar led the Southland Conference in total offense and was eighth among Football Championship Subdivision players. His recovery is a crucial element to Sam Houston's chances to compete for the conference title as coach Todd Whitten looks to replace 10 starters from a 7-5 team.

The Bearkats, who began spring practice last week, will use the session to get an extensive look at redshirt freshmen Jeff Welch and Taylor Weidman under center.

Welch, a former Cy Falls standout, and Weidman will need to display their skills if Bomar isn't at full speed when the Bearkats open at home against East Central Oklahoma on Aug. 30. But if Bomar, a 6-2, 215-pounder, has his way, he'll be ready to go.

"I should be at full go this summer and ready for fall," he said.

On the air

Texas Southern's softball team will be part of a nationally televised game April 4, when ESPNU airs the Lady Tigers' home game against Southern at Memorial Park at 2 p.m.

Southern leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division at 6-2. TSU is 5-6.

Reaping the rewards

Stephen F. Austin men's basketball coach Danny Kaspar was chosen as one of 10 finalists for the 2008 Hugh Durham mid-major college coach of the year award, which will be announced during the Final Four in San Antonio.

Kaspar, who was named the Southland Conference coach of the year, led the Lumberjacks to a 26-6 mark and a share of the regular-season title, the school's first. The 26 wins were the most by SFA since it became a Division I program.

The thrill of victory

Having gone nearly three weeks without a win, Prairie View's softball team finally tasted victory with a doubleheader sweep of Texas College on Tuesday, bringing its record to 5-18.

"We definitely needed to get those victories," said Lady Panthers coach Raymond Burgess.

Prairie View had struggled at the plate but seems to have hit its stride, scoring 30 runs in the two games.

It's all academic

For the fourth straight year, Blinn Junior College's volleyball team was honored as one of the NJCAA's top academic squads, as coach David Rehr's team finished with an average GPA of 3.32.

Blinn was just as impressive on the court, finishing 35-4 record and in fifth at the NJCAA national tournament.